Street Racing

[lexxus]

Funny, I posted about racing as a teen, and then my girlfriend walked in and told me three people died here in L.A. a few nights ago in a street race. Seems like it happens once a week here, and it's usually young guys from 17 to 24.

You know, when I did it, it was on farm roads in rural Ohio in the late 60's/early 70's. Four in the morning, nobody else around. Sometimes there were dollars involved, so it was almost professional. Open headers, slicks, but still not legal.

One friend of mine ruined his life forever in a street race. Paul was the happeist coolest guy you ever saw, and he had the prettiest girl in the high school. He also had one of the nicest cars around; a blue Nova with a hot 327. He had a fortune in this car. He also loved his girlfriend dearly, and they planned to marry one day. Yeah, you guessed it...she was in the car one night when he was racing, and he crashed bigtime. The girl died. And Paul was burned almost beyond recognition. He survived, but he was never the same. He wore a beard, and he also wore a great sadness after that. He never forgave himself, and I'm sure that her family never forgave him.

I've done it, so you can call me an old hypocrite, but I'm telling you guys to be careful.

[SKperformance]

SO agreed.

The closest i come to street racing is getting other hondas rev me at the lights because my beater is also modified.

Usually i get to 80 km or what ever the speed limit is and drive normally.

It isn;t dangerous if carful and keep to speed limits posted as well as never weaving through traffic.

I don't consider it racing as i don;t go any faster than i would if i was the only car on the road at 4 am.

Beside i set my selfup to lose anyway as i always let off the gas when i get to the limit.

[WeatherDon]

Driving cars, mostly fast ones for years has taught me one thing: Fast driving in itself doesn't get people in trouble - stupid driving does. If you don't know your limitations or know where that danger threshold is then you're asking for trouble. There's still a spark of in me in that really gets a kick out of pulling up to a lowered Honda with fat !Removed! exhaust and bass speakers that make the ground tremble, dusting him off when the light turns green or having one get smaller in my rear view mirror on a clear and open freeway after he dared to pass me. That's one of the reasons I drive an SC400, it provides the luxury my aging bod craves but also gives me the option to occasionally have an adolescent moment. I'm 60 years old and know that I should put all that behind me and grow up...Nah!

[sc_toy]

^^^ AMEN!

I used to drive faster than I do now (not worse, faster) but I got a few speeding tickets so I had to slow down. Now I prefer to go to the strip to do my racing, there's something comforting about knowing the cops aren't going to be waiting for me at the other end, and if I DO crash and burn, there's an ambulance only 15 seconds away ready to help my sorry !Removed!. :D

Though on a winding central ontario road the other day a newer Cadillac CTS came up behind me and was riding my bumper (I was doing 93 km/h in an 80 zone), so I proceeded to round a corner and mash the gas. :D

[Mr. Curious]

street racing was somewhat safer back then, i believe. mainly for the fact that there were much less cars on the road and drivers didnt act like total dumbasses with mommys car. nowadays, there are huge groups of said dumbasses lining the edges of streets during street races in residential areas. wtf?

[jzz30]

well racing is a problem in america because its done in areas that are populated or simply people around like the freeway and near residential streets. and as much as i am against street racing there is a certain thrill to it that you cant get on a circuit. but mainly my races (which are fairly few) are in moutain roads where there arent any people. no matter what the law is people are still going to race its just like underage drinking. so if you do race try to do it in a secluded area and if you drink dont drive ;)

[lexcalibur300]

"There by the grace of God go I..."

This past year in Pensacola, FL., a young man who is a friend of our family was sentenced to 18 years in prison (mandatory minimum sentence w/o parole) for accidently killing two young women while drag racing and drinking.

During early morning hours, he and a camero gunned their engines at a light -- the next fifteen seconds would terminate the lives of two women in their prime and devastate all the families involved. The young man lost control of his car and it smashed into the girls' car with such crushing impact it killed them instantly. The camero, several car lengths ahead, fled the scene. He was arrested several days later.

Realistically, speed and racing are genetically imprinted for most young men. Fortunately, those on this forum can focus beyond that to the unique qualities of the Lexus Sport Coupe -- precision engineering, luxurious performance, and timeless beauty. Given the limited number on the street, truly a rare work-of-art on wheels that is ours alone.

Personal pride with finesse wins every time!

Good Lexus Luck...

[Mr. Curious]

street racing = bad

racing on streets = good (think cote d'azure)

it would be nice to see some sanctioned events on public streets instead of a huge ball of jackassery on wheels.

[Sadistic]

The sad thing is, most people feel like they know the limiatations of their vehicle, and think that they are fast enough to react to a car darting out in front of them, when they're trying to race a Civic in practically rush hour traffic.

People like this are the most dangerous people in the world. I would rather have a loaded gun to my head, than sit in a car with one of these people. Atleast I know that a gun has less variables against me, then racing through traffic.

I've street raced, and weaved through traffic, everyone has done it at one point in their life. And even though it can be the most tragic, and destructive thing that you can do to someone or yourself, it still happens thousands of times each minute, in every day. The only safe way to race is on a track, or a sanctioned place for racing. It's just too bad that they are so sparce, and the ones that are around, are always packed. So they quickly lose the allure when you have to sit in the staging lanes for 2 hours in the raging heat waiting for another pass.

There really is no winning answer, if you're going to race, atleast try and be safe about it. Try and keep a level head about it. If your race runs into traffic, atleast have the brains, and the pride to back off and let the person you're racing be the idiot to kill a couple of small kids while they're being driven to soccer practice.

[SKperformance]

It is funny when i go to the track no one revs their engine or peels out until at the grid and it is needed. I have a Jackass 2 houses down from me, A few years ago he and his freind were racing to Wasaga beach and cut an old lady off and she ran into a ditch and died.The f ing moron think it is her fault for not givnig them the space to race.

The today another guy had some friends over down the road and one has an older 92-99 e36 bmw 3 series with a new m5 stlye front bumper and and /sc from the sounds of it. Well he stops as they are standing on the street , they get out of the way for him to pass and he peels out . I thought he knew them as it is only 3 houses away. Obviously he didn;t and thought he was showing off.

This si the same moron who on a halloween him and his fellow morons thought throwing eggs at passing cars from a bush. Well tehy hit one car and all i heard was "crack" and this lady slammed on her brakes screaming. Got out and was yelling while they ran across the street.

I was ready to pummel them that night with my pry bar as i worknig on a customers car.

If they didn;t know i was outside and saw it i would have called the cops myself, but i don;t need to worry about my cars more than i already do.

My car will smoke him faster than he gets out of first but you;ll never hear it. I drive slow main reason i don't get tickets.

just some real jackasses on the road.

[sc_toy]

You're so right buddy,

I have never been a big street racer, the odd little old guy stoplight thing (only up to the speedlimit) but that's about it. It's such a different atmosphere at the track. I went to St. Thomas a couple years back with my MR2 and had a blast, and just went to Cayuga the other day with the SC.

People actually drive around the water box properly, there's a certain respect between the drivers and the track workers... it's just such a different environment. Every time I go to the strip I feel so satisfied that I drive like a granny for months afterwards, I love getting my aggressions out at the track.

I'd love to find an old 1st gen celica chassis to toss a 1UZ-FE or chevy 350 into and set it up for drag racing. There's so much more you can do with a 2000 lb car!

Aaron

[Mr. Curious]

I'd love to find an old 1st gen celica chassis to toss a 1UZ-FE or chevy 350 into and set it up for drag racing. There's so much more you can do with a 2000 lb car!

what about a 510 or rx3? btw, ever think about getting and building up an old school beetle? those things can be turned into wheelie cars SOOO easily. :D

[Theodore]

My Philos, ITS NOT THE CAR ITS THE DRIVER>

Too many people are fast and furious drivers, they go and spend there money on there car and have NO baisic skills on racing. downshifting, drifting, etc.

[bean_8044]

I learned everything i need to know about racing from Vin:

1. I better "Double-clutch" whatever that may be

2. Dont granny shift

3. Dont "blow the welds off the intake manifold"

4. Always have at least three NOS buttons cause the other guy only has two

5. Get a cool laptop to flash at me when i start going too fast